Henry c



(No Model.)

H. C. SERGEANT, REGULATOR PoR GOMPRESSORS.

No. 415,370. Patented Nov. 19, 1889.

N. PETERS, Phoillthognphur, Wzihingwn. D. C4

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY (l. SERGEANT, OF NEI/V YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO TIIE INGERSOLL ROOK DRILL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

REGULATOR FOR COMPRESSORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,370, dated November 19, 1889.

Application filed January 6, 1888. Serial No. 259,956. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: ward the left from said line; and Fig. 4 is a Beit known that I, HENRY C. SERGEANT, of sectional elevation, similar to Fig. l, of the the city and county of New York, in the State regulatonvalve and motor, showing the valve of New York, have invented a new and usein the position Which it occupies when its 5 ful Improvement in Regulators for Air-Commotor has been operated by the excess of air- 55 pressors, of which the following is a specifica pressure in the receiver or tank.

tion. Similar letters of reference designate cor- In the operation of air-compressors the air responding parts in all the figures.

is usually pumped by the compressor cylinder A designates the compressor-cylinder, inI

1o and piston into a receiver or tank, from which which operates the piston B, and which is 6o the supply is taken for operating various closed at the ends by heads A. These heads machines. This tank is provided with a are constructed to form discharge-chests C, safety-valve, andaregulator is now commonly which communicate with a passage O, eX- employed, which is operated by the pressure tending lengthwise of the cylinder; and c des- 15 of air in the receiver or tank, and which, when ignates the discharge-opening, with which is 65 the pressure exceeds the normal pressure or connected the air-discharge pipe leading to that desired, serves to close the throttle-valve the receiver or tank. (Not here shown.) of the operating-engine or cause the inlet or The suction orinlet valves of the compressorsuction valves of the compressor-cylinder to cylinder A may be of any suitable construczo remain open during the continued operation tion, as my invention in no wise relates to 7o of the piston, or to perform both these operthem, and they are not here shown. ations. The discharge-valves D, which close against The object of my invention is to provide a puppet-like seats a in the cylinder-heads, have regulator which, when the air in the receiver combined with them pistons, and in the pres- 25 or tank exceeds the pressure desired, will ent example of my invention the valves are 75 operate to cause the outlet or discharge valves represented as cylindric shells of cup-shape of the compressor-cylinder to remain open, form and constitute puppet-valves and pisand thereby admit the full pressure of the retons. The cylindric piston portions of these ceiver or tank on both sides of the compress valves iit within cylinders ct', formed in the 3o ing-piston, and which will also preferably heads A and in line with the valve-seats, and 8o cause the throttle-valve of the operating-enthese cylinders are closed at their outer ends gine to be closed or partially closed; and a by heads a2. (Here represented as in the form further object of my invention is to provide of plugs screwed into such cylinders.) The a regulator which in case of the receiver or valves D are closed by springs d, applied 3 5 tank or the air-pipe leading thereto bursting within them in a Well-known lnanner, and the 8 5 will cause the discharge-valves of the comrear ends of the piston portions of the valves, pressor to remain open, and will also produce when the valves are open, should close against the closing of the throttle-valve of the operthese plugs, so as to form air-tight joints, and ating-engine. so that, even though there may be a slight 4o The invention will be hereinafter particun leakage between the pistons and the cylin 9o larly described, and pointed out in the claims. ders a', such leakage cannot enter the back In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is of the valves when the valves are open. a sectional elevation showing portions of a E designates the shell of the throttle-valve, compressor-cyliuder, the throttle-valve for its which is to be applied to the operating-engine,

45 operating-engine, and regulator mechanism and E designates the valve of the throttle, 95 embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transwhich is nearly balanced, but has a slight verse section upon the plane of the dotted preponderance of pressure, tending to close it. line as 5c, Fig. l, looking toward the left from To the stem e of the valve is fixed a piston said line. Fig. 3 is a transverse section upon e', and a sufficient pressure within the cylin- 5o the plane of the dotted line y Iy, looking toder e?, back of the piston, will hold the valve roo open, while a reduction or entire relief of such pressure will permit the valve to close by the unbalanced pressure of steam upon it. The cylinder e2 may be formed in a bridgepiece c3, supported by posts e4 from the shell of the valve, and upon the valve-stein are iitted adjustable nuts c5, which, in the closing movement of the valve, are arrested by the brldge-piece e3 and form an adjustable stop for limiting the closing movement of the valve. These nuts e5 may be so set that when pressure in the cylinder e2 is relieved sufficiently to permit the valve E to be closed or partially closed the nuts e5 will arrest the closing movement of the valve 'and hold it slightly open, so as to admit sufficient steam to turn over slowly the operating-engine.

In first starting the compressor there will be no pressure whatever in the cylinder e2, and before the stop-valve of the operatingengine is opened the throttle-valve E may be opened by hand, and a hook e, pivoted to the bridge-piece e3, may be swung into engagement with the shoulder e7 upon the valvestem, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, so as to hold the throttle-,valve open, and the stop-valve may then be opened and the machinery started. After the pressure of air has accumulated so that the cylinder e2 is filled, as hereinafter described, with air under a suiiicient pressure to hold the throttle-valve open, the hook-shaped stop e6 may be swung out of the way, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and the throttle-valve E thereafter held open by the pressure in the cylinder c2.

Vith the back of each of the cylinders d e2 communicate pipes ff', which lead from a regulator, whereby the pressure of air within the receiver or tank (not shown) is admitted to these cylinders so long as the air-pressure does not exceed that desired, and whereby the compressed air is cut off from these cylinders and these cylinders relieved of pressure when the compressed air in the receiver or tank exceeds that desired. This regulator` is best shown in Fig. 4, but also in Figs. 1 and 2. It comprises a valvel whereby the aforesaid results are accomplished and aregulatorpiston fitting a regulator-cylinder which is in communication with the receiver or tank.

F designates the valve-box` of the regulator, with which the pipes f communicate, and with which the pipe f communicates by a cored passage f2. As here represented, this valveboX communicates by an opening f3 with the atmosphere, and G designates the regulatingvalve, which is represented as of cylindric form and as having fixed upon it or'formed with it the regulator-piston H. H designates the regulator-cylinder, to which said piston is fitted, and the said regulator-piston H is loaded by weights or equivalent devices applied in any suitable manner. As here represented, this loading of the piston H is accomplished by a lever H2, pivoted at h, and from which are hung weights 7L', and itwill be understood that any number of weights are to be applied, accordingv to the pressure which it is desired vto maintain within the tank or receiver. The valve G is of cylindric form, and is provided with passages g g 92, whereby the valve-box F may be placed in communication with the pipe I, leading from the receiver or tank, or cut off from such communication, according as said valve G is moved by the regulator-piston H. I have also shown the regulator-cylinder H as formed with the passage h2, whereby air is admitted from the pipe I to the regulator-cylinder to act upon the regulator-piston.

The regulating devices H H F G may be may be supported by a bracket or arm H3 from the cylinder A, as best represented in Fig. 2, or in any other suitable manner. It will also be seen that the lower end of the valve G normally `closes the opening f3, through which the valve-box F communicates with the atmosphere.

` Referring now to the operation of my devices, it will be understood that Fig. l shows the position of parts during the normal operation of the compressor and so long as the pressure within the tank or receiver does not reach the limit for which the regulator-piston' H is loaded. The pipe I, leading from the receiver ortank, is in free communication through the ports g g g2 with the valve-box F, and from the valve-box the compressed air of like pressure passes through the pipes ff to the cylinders d e2. This pressure being upon the backs of the valves D, they open and close norlnally, or, in other words,'they close by the preponderating force of the springs d, and the pressure admitted to the cylinder e2 of the throttle-valve holds said throttle-valve fully open. If now the pressure in the receiver or tank rises above the limit desired, the regulator-piston II is forced upward, thereby cuttingoff comm unication of the pipe I with the valve-box F and throwing open the valve-box F through'the rising of the valve G and the opening of the aperture f3 to the atmosphere. The pressure within the cylinders a e2 is thus at once relieved, the throttle E is automatically closed or nearly closed, thereby stopping or slowing up the operatingengine, and as soon as the discharge-valves D are forced from their seats a, by the pressure of air in the compressor-.cylinder they re-Y main open because the pressure behind them in the cylinders d is relieved, and the full tank-pressure is thus admitted on both sides of the main operating-piston B. Itis impor# IOO IIO

tant that the back ends of the valves D, or L rather of their balancing-pistons, should close tightly against the heads of the cylinders a', so that any leakage which may pass through the discharge-chests C between said pistons' and the walls of the cylinders a cannot have access to the backs of the discharge-valves D. As soon as the pressure in the receiver or tank falls below the limit the regulatorpiston H falls, thereby moving downward the` valve G and again closing the opening f3 and placing the pipe I in communication with the valve-box F, as before. The cylinders a e2 again receive the pressure of compressed air, the throttle-valve E is opened, the dischargevalves D closed, and work proceeds as before.

Another accident which sometimes happens with air-compressing machinery is the bursting of the receiver or tank, thereby relieving the operating-engine of the principal part of its work. If such accident should occur, it will be obvious that the valve-box F, being in communication with the pipe I, will be relieved of pressure, and through the pipes f f the pressure in the cylinders a e2 will be relieved and the throttle-valve of the engine will be closed by the pressure of steam upon it, thus preventing` the engine from running away.

From the above description it will be apparent that the piston e and cylinder e2 may be properly termed a motor for holding the throttle-valve open, and the cylinder H and piston I-I may be properly termed a motor for operating the regulator-valve G.

It will be understood that the air-pipe I in all cases leads from the air which is to have its pressure governed or regulated, and the result is the same whether the pipe I leads directly from the receiver or tank or from the pipe which delivers air from the compressor-cylinder to such receiver or tank.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is-

l. The combination, with the cylinder of an air-compressor, of a combined dischargevalve and piston therefor, a cylinder to which the said piston is fitted, an air-receiver, a valve-box connected by pipes with the said piston-cylinder and with the air-receiver or an appurtenance thereof, a regulating-valve in said valve-box provided with passages affording communication between said pipes, a motor connected to said valve and moving in one direction to raise the valve and to close said passages upon the occurrence of excessive pressure at the receiver and operating upon the decrease of such pressure to shift said regulating-valve to open said passages, substantially as and for purpose specified.

2. The combination, with an air-compressor and a throttle-valve through which its operating-engine is supplied with steam, of a motor-cylinder and piston for holding said throttle-valve open, a valve-box and pipes leading thereto from the motor-cylinder and from the air-receiver or an appartenance thereof, a regulating-valve, whereby communication between said pipes is normally maintained, and whereby the said valve-box is relieved of pressure when the valve is moved to break such communication, and a motor operated upon by pressure from the air-receiver for operating the regulating-valve, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination, with the throttle-valve E and its stem, of the motor for holding the valve open, consisting of a cylinder e2 and a piston e', fitting the cylinder and secured to the valve-stem, and the nuts e5, threaded upon the valve-stem and forming an adjustable stop for limiting the closing movement of the valve, substantially as herein described.

4. The combination, with the throttle-valve E and its shouldered stem e, of the motor for holding the valve open and a pipe for supplying compressed air to operate the motor, and a stop, as hook e6, movable t-o engage it with or disengage it from the shoulder of the valve-stem, substantially as herein described.

5. The combination, with an air-compressor cylinder and its combined discharge-valves and pistons D, of the cylinders a', the valvebox F, having an opening to the atmosphere, the inlet-pipe I, for compressed air,`and the pipes f, connecting the valve-box and cylinders, the piston-valve Gr, whereby the said pipes f are normally maintained in communication, and which normally closes said opening to the atmosphere, and a motor acted upon by compressed air of the receiver or tank-pressure to cut off communication between the valve-box and the pipe I and to uncover the said opening to the atmosphere, substantially as herein described.

HENRY C. SERGEANT.

Titnessesz C. HALL, FREDK. HAYNES. 

